Abstract: Sign information of a traffic sign or a road marking ahead of a vehicle is detected. When two or more kinds of sign information having overlapping effective sections are detected or when the sign information contains textural information including a predetermined or more number of characters, simplified information obtained by simplifying the sign information is displayed on an MID in the vehicle.

Abstract: If a first sign information detector 62 is normal, a first display 94 displays sign information detected by the first sign information detector 62, in accordance with an instruction from a control circuit 70. At this time, a second display 64 hides sign information in accordance with an instruction from the control circuit 70. On the other hand, if the first sign information detector 62 is abnormal, the first display 94 hides the sign information in accordance with an instruction from the control circuit 70. At this time, the second display 64 displays sign information detected by the second sign information detector 64, in accordance with an instruction from the control circuit 70.

Abstract: A sign information output apparatus includes an output instructor for instructing an information output section to stop output of sign information if a traveled distance measured in response to the detection of a sign exceeds a threshold value, and a threshold value changer for changing a threshold value depending on at least one of interval information with respect to an interval at which signs of one type are placed, speed limit information with respect to a speed limit of the road, and a speed of the vehicle.

Abstract: The regulatory sign or traffic information presented on a roadway is detected by capturing an image of ahead of a vehicle, and also the regulatory information is detected by receiving a signal transmitted from outside the vehicle. When the regulatory information is detected from the signal transmitted from outside the vehicle, that regulatory information is notified. When no regulatory information is detected from the signal transmitted from outside the vehicle, the regulatory information detected by capturing the image of ahead of the vehicle is notified.

Abstract: When normal maximum speed information (first sign information of first maximum speed) in a first section and school-zone maximum speed information (second sign information of second maximum speed) in a second section overlapping the first section are detected by a camera, an MID displays the normal maximum speed information and the school-zone maximum speed information side by side according to an instruction of an ECU.

Abstract: The regulatory sign or traffic information presented on a roadway is detected by capturing an image of ahead of a vehicle, and also the regulatory information is detected by receiving a signal transmitted from outside the vehicle. When the regulatory information is detected from the signal transmitted from outside the vehicle, that regulatory information is notified. When no regulatory information is detected from the signal transmitted from outside the vehicle, the regulatory information detected by capturing the image of ahead of the vehicle is notified.

Abstract: Sign information of a traffic sign or a road marking ahead of a vehicle is detected. When two or more kinds of sign information having overlapping effective sections are detected or when the sign information contains textural information including a predetermined or more number of characters, simplified information obtained by simplifying the sign information is displayed on an MID in the vehicle.

Abstract: If a first sign information detector 62 is normal, a first display 94 displays sign information detected by the first sign information detector 62, in accordance with an instruction from a control circuit 70. At this time, a second display 64 hides sign information in accordance with an instruction from the control circuit 70. On the other hand, if the first sign information detector 62 is abnormal, the first display 94 hides the sign information in accordance with an instruction from the control circuit 70. At this time, the second display 64 displays sign information detected by the second sign information detector 64, in accordance with an instruction from the control circuit 70.

Abstract: An object recognition device including a binarization processing unit 32 which classifies pixels, which are obtained by excluding pixels having luminance values equal to or lower than a predetermined value Yex indicating pixels on which the sky is projected in an image captured by an infrared camera 11R, into low-luminance pixels and high-luminance pixels according to a binarization-use second threshold Yth2 (>Yex); and an object image extraction unit 35 which extracts an image portion of an object from an image region composed of the low-luminance pixels.

Abstract: A sign information output apparatus includes an output instructor for instructing an information output section to stop output of sign information if a traveled distance measured in response to the detection of a sign exceeds a threshold value, and a threshold value changer for changing a threshold value depending on at least one of interval information with respect to an interval at which signs of one type are placed, speed limit information with respect to a speed limit of the road, and a speed of the vehicle.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring the surroundings of a vehicle is provided with a second display unit that visually represents information on the presence of monitored objects by the display or lack of display of marks. When at least one monitored object is detected in a picked-up image, the marks are displayed in different forms in accordance with the hazard the monitored object poses to the vehicle.

Abstract: A system 1 for monitoring the area around a vehicle of the present invention capable of visually notifying the passenger in the vehicle 10 of not only the presence but also the kind of an object in images around the vehicle displayed in an HUD 7, for example, according to a difference in the display mode of the presence of the object, wherein the driver of the vehicle 10 is able to recognize which of a human or a four-footed animal the object belongs to, according to either a difference in the design between a first mark M1 and a second mark M2 or a difference in the design between a first frame F1 and a second frame F2 displayed on the HUD 7.

Abstract: Bicycles present before a vehicle are identified. A picked-up image having intensity values that are in accordance with the temperatures of objects is acquired to extract image regions having intensity values representative of higher temperatures than a background. An object, which includes a pair of first object portions (legs) and a second object portion (a tire), would be identified as a bicycle if the pair of first object portions, which have greater dimensions in length in the vertical direction than in width in the horizontal direction and the distance between which is less than a predetermined value in the horizontal direction, are detected from the extracted image regions and further if the second object portion, which has a different intensity value from any one of the first object portions and also has a length greater than a predetermined value in the vertical direction, is existent between the pair of first object portions.

Abstract: An apparatus for testing infrared cameras includes: a cover plate which has a plurality of holes formed therethrough and arranged in line in a horizontal direction at a regular interval, the cover plate being adapted to emit an amount of infrared light; and an emission source which is disposed in parallel to and behind the cover plate as viewed from infrared cameras to be tested, the emission source being adapted to emit a different amount of infrared light when compared with the cover plate.

Abstract: Bicycles present before a vehicle are identified. A picked-up image having intensity values that are in accordance with the temperatures of objects is acquired to extract image regions having intensity values representative of higher temperatures than a background. An object, which includes a pair of first object portions (legs) and a second object portion (a tire), would be identified as a bicycle if the pair of first object portions, which have greater dimensions in length in the vertical direction than in width in the horizontal direction and the distance between which is less than a predetermined value in the horizontal direction, are detected from the extracted image regions and further if the second object portion, which has a different intensity value from any one of the first object portions and also has a length greater than a predetermined value in the vertical direction, is existent between the pair of first object portions.

Abstract: Provided is a device for monitoring the surrounding area of a vehicle. The device separates and extracts an object around the vehicle in better precision from the background. The device detects the ambient temperature of the vehicle, and determines a temperature difference between the ambient temperature and an object surface temperature estimated on the basis of the ambient temperature. On the basis of the brightness value of the background of a captured image obtained by an infrared camera and a brightness difference corresponding to the temperature difference, the brightness value of the object is calculated. The captured image is binarized by using the brightness value of the object as a threshold value, and the object is extracted. Since the binary threshold value is set on the basis of the relation between the ambient temperature and the object surface temperature, the object can be separated and extracted in the better precision from the background.

Abstract: A system 1 for monitoring the area around a vehicle of the present invention capable of visually notifying the passenger in the vehicle 10 of not only the presence but also the kind of an object in images around the vehicle displayed in an HUD 7, for example, according to a difference in the display mode of the presence of the object, wherein the driver of the vehicle 10 is able to recognize which of a human or a four-footed animal the object belongs to, according to either a difference in the design between a first mark M1 and a second mark M2 or a difference in the design between a first frame F1 and a second frame F2 displayed on the HUD 7.

Abstract: An apparatus for testing infrared cameras includes: a cover plate which has a plurality of holes formed therethrough and arranged in line in a horizontal direction at a regular interval, the cover plate being adapted to emit an amount of infrared light; and an emission source which is disposed in parallel to and behind the cover plate as viewed from infrared cameras to be tested, the emission source being adapted to emit a different amount of infrared light when compared with the cover plate.

Abstract: An apparatus for testing infrared cameras includes: a front plate which has holes arranged in line, and which is adapted to emit an amount of infrared light; and a back plate which is disposed in parallel to and behind the front plate as viewed from infrared cameras to be tested, and which is adapted to emit a different amount of infrared light when compared with the front plate. The back plate is disposed at lower portions of pillars. On the other hand, the front plate is made vertically movable in front of the back plate and along the pillars. By being controlled by a controller, the front plate is movable from the ground height to a level corresponding to approximately two times the height of the back plate.

Abstract: A vehicle meter unit has a control unit and a controller area network (CAN) constituting a communications network. On-vehicle systems such as an engine control system, anti-lock braking system and electric power steering system are also provided with CANs and fault diagnostic functions for decentralized control. Faults in the systems are displayed in fault codes through the control unit on a liquid crystal display on which the indications of an odometer and trip recorder are displayed.